PHOTOS: Dance Gavin Dance & The Fall Of Troy

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Published November 7, 2026 by Gerry Nicholls

You know a band has officially made its return to Australian shores when, just five songs into the set, the crowd erupts into the familiar chant of ‘SHOEY! SHOEY! SHOEY!’

Hailing from Sacramento, California, Dance Gavin Dance were back in Australia to kick off their tour, and the crowd wasted absolutely no time making their presence felt.

A rather small white shoe makes its way through the crowd and up to frontman Andrew Wells. The anticipation is building, the punters are waiting, and then comes the unexpected announcement: ‘We’re a sober band!’

For a moment, it looks like the shoey dream is over. But not so fast! A quick-thinking punter at the barrier offers up some water, and SUCCESS! Crisis averted, crowd happy, and the night rolls on.

The audience might have skewed younger tonight, but don’t mistake that for a lack of experience when it comes to bringing the energy. The mosh pit was constantly moving, crowd surfing was well and truly on the menu, and The Tivoli was alive from start to finish.

A special mention to the security crew working the photo pit. It’s a thankless job catching crowd surfers as they come over the barrier while keeping everyone safe. They certainly earned their keep tonight.

Dance Gavin Dance delivered a solid 13-song set, and judging by the reaction from their fiercely loyal fanbase, there would have been plenty of happy punters heading home.

The Fall Of Troy – A Three-Piece Force

Main support came from Seattle, Washington’s The Fall Of Troy, and my goodness, this three-piece packed an absolute punch!

These guys didn’t just warm up the room; they practically set it on fire with their outstanding musicianship. Drummer Andrew Forsman was attacking the skins with such force that you almost expected someone to conduct a welfare check on his snare drum!

Formed in 2002, this band clearly still loves every minute of what they do. Frontman and guitar shredder Thomas Erak was simply outstanding, delivering the kind of performance that would inspire any young aspiring guitarist to pick up six strings and give it a crack.

But amongst the blistering riffs and incredible musicianship, there was also a much more personal moment. Thomas took a pause to reflect on losing someone very close to him just a month earlier. You could hear the emotion in his voice, and it was a genuine reminder that behind the music, we’re all human. His message to the crowd was simple but important: look after yourself, and remember that things will get better.

It was a touching moment that added another layer to an already impressive performance.

Two bands, two very different performances, and one seriously entertaining night at The Tivoli.

This was my first time catching both Dance Gavin Dance and The Fall Of Troy live, and neither disappointed. From the technical brilliance and sheer intensity of The Fall Of Troy to the infectious crowd connection and chaos of Dance Gavin Dance, there was plenty to take away from the evening.

If this tour is coming to your city, do yourself a favour and get along. Live music doesn’t get much better than this!

Photography: © Gerry Nicholls